Like the elves in the South Pole Santa series, I have a fondness for staying home. Living in the beautiful Pacific Northwest, there is always something to do. However, like the elves, I also love to explore. Our planet is filled with stunning and interesting places to visit with cultures that are different and people just like us. Reflecting on our travels, both within the US and abroad, I honestly can’t think of any place we didn't enjoy. There are some destinations I might not revisit (this might be a controversial opinion, but I'm not particularly fond of most Caribbean islands primarily due to the humidity. I'm more of a Hawaii kind of traveler when I want a dose of the tropics.)
My favorite domestic trips usually last around three nights. I'm even considering starting a new blog called Three Days Away, chatting on all sorts of adventures you can do in a short time. When a vacation involves a long flight, though, more time is definitely warranted. For those trips, here are a few packing and travel tips I've gathered:
- Regardless of the trip length—whether three nights or 20 nights—we try to pack only carry-on suitcases and a backpack each. We learned this the hard way after dragging oversized suitcases on a bus trip around Australia, where we changed hotels almost every night. Carrying smaller luggage ensures it stays with us on the plane. The biggest challenge packing small is shoes. I love shoes, but they take up so much space! I usually wear my most comfortable, largest shoes on the plane (typically sneakers) and pack a versatile pair of sandals.
- Whether we carry-on or check our luggage, I recommend placing an AirTag ( http://bit.ly/4rOGzdL ) in your bag. This helps locate your luggage if it gets lost. The security is worth the price. AirTags are also great for purses, keys, and other items you might misplace.
- As an avid reader, no vacation is complete without books. I download several books onto my Kindle app and bring at least one paperback. I start with the paperback and leave it behind when I return—passing it along to others. For music and movie lovers, download your favorites ahead of time.
- For our upcoming trip, even though we are using carry-ons, we are going to check our luggage. My guy recently had shoulder replacement surgery and has limited arm mobility. Plus, with several stops before reaching our final destination, we want to avoid lugging our luggage through Customs at each location. Instead, we hope our bags arrive at the final destination with us. (think good thoughts please!) To prepare for the chance that maybe one arrives and the other doesn't, I pack a change of clothes for each of us in the other’s suitcase. That way we are slightly more comfortable while waiting for our luggage, which could take days.
- Finally, for foreign travel, AAA is my favorite place to get your currency. The process is simple—it’s all done online, and the currency is delivered right to your home with low or no fees. Love easy!
Hope these tips are helpful and I hope I see you out there!
Oh Oh Oh! - Jingle